What You Need to Know
As the alternative to RESNET®, there are 5 things you should know about us.
Trust
Above all else, you can trust the Building Science Institute, Ltd. Co. Quality Management System.
We’ve met every need the EPA ENERGY STAR® New Homes program has. We are an EPA-recognized Home Certification Organization (HCO).
This was not an easy.
Our innovative system went under more scrutiny because it is so different.
Our software tool (HouseRater) uses the EnergyPlus calculation engine. The Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory develops the calculation engine. And maintains it.
EnergyPlus passes the tighter acceptance criteria for the ASHRAE Std 140 test. RESNET® proposed this criteria, but hasn’t implemented it yet.
HouseRater passed the strict ENERGY STAR software test.
Ours is the only software tool on the market that passes both tests!
EnergyPlus has implemented the equations in Std. 301 (all the published versions with approved Addenda).
You are confident the outputs align with code requirements for the ERI in R406.
Our Quality Management System is overseen by our Quality Council. These industry experts must review and approve our policies, processes, and procedures. Besides the review and approval by the ENERGY STAR New Homes team.
The Quality Council members have the duty to inform our stakeholders if we don’t perform. And we put that into our contracts with our clients, so it is enforceable in the legal system.
We based our policies, processes, and procedures on international standards for quality.
Standards such as ISO 17020 and ISO 19011.
Industry standards such as Stds. 301, 380, and 310.
And ENERGY STAR program requirements.
The Building Science Institute team are members of the American Society for Quality. This organization is the ANSI partner for national Quality Standards.
Not only do we hold the work the raters do to a higher standard, we are also held to a higher standard.
And that seems fair to us.
No one else does that for you…
We do.
Transparency
We provide transparency through the HouseRater software tool. If needed, you can have access to the projects in your jurisdiction so you can see what we do.
And you have a direct link to our team of quality professionals if you have any questions.
Our clients declare their secondary interests that may cause a conflict.
We post that on our website so you know whether they meet the code requirements for independence.
The Quality team checks their work before certification of the home.
And every year we perform conformity assessment to identify performance gaps.
They must provide you our final annual conformity report if you ask for it.
That way, you know the quality of the people that do the energy code inspections and testing for you.
No one else does that for you…
We do.
Consistency
Our software tool provides ERI values consistent with Std 301 and R406.
It also provides feedback to the operators. This ensures they perform their work consistent with the referenced standards.
We have over 300 data reasonability checks built into our software. If someone makes a mistake, the software alerts the quality professionals. They perform an intervention to discover the cause.
This system ensures the consistency of inspections and tests.
Across individuals and companies.
With a single calculation engine, produced and maintained by the Department of Energy.
This solves the problem of inconsistent software results.
We perform an annual conformance review on every company we work. This performance gap assessment identifies areas for improvement and excellence.
This eliminates inconsistent quality management oversight across the different energy rating companies.
You are no longer exposed to inconsistency between software tools.
You are no longer exposed to inconsistency between raters and rating companies.
Consistent quality oversight, software outputs, workflows…
No one else does that for you…
We do.
What else do you want?
Quality
Our robust Quality Management System has 9 layers of quality built into it.
Level One answers the question “Is the work done?” through the structured workflow process embedded in HouseRater.
Level Two answers the question “Is the work complete?” through the review by a Software Analyst of the data collected in HouseRater by a Verifier.
Level Three answers the question “Does they know what data to collect and document?” because missing data signals the quality professionals.
Level Four answers the question “Is the data reasonable?” since HouseRater makes validation checks on over 300 elements depending on as-built features.
Level Five answers the question “Is the data unreasonable?” because HouseRater signals the quality professionals if a red-flagged item is over-ridden.
Level Six answers the question “Can the home earn certification?” since a quality professional must review each project’s dashboard.
Level Seven answers the question “Does the process work?” when the Quality Assessor reviews a selected sample of files through HouseRater.
They choose the sample size through probability statistics. We use the ISO standard on sampling for inspections for that.
Level Eight answers the question “Are they performing the correct procedures?” through annual observations of them performing their work by the Quality Management team.
Level Nine answers the question “Does they conform with their contractual obligations?” since our Quality Management professionals perform an annual performance gap assessment.
Our rating company clients must make this assessment report available to you.
No one else does that for you…
We do.
Speed
Because we leverage technology to make the rater’s work better…
With built-in reports generated during their inspections and tests…
Automated quality control checks with human oversight…
Targeted interventions when needed…
Plus the sampling review based on probability statistics straight from ISO standards…
The documentation you need shows up faster.
And you have greater confidence it represents the home as-built.
No one else does that for you…
We do.
Finally
The advantages you have been asking for all these years are finally here.
Trust, transparency, consistency, quality, and speed.
No one else does that for you.
We do.
Why?
Because we are the professional Quality Management Organization for the energy rating industry.
PLEASE NOTE: Any use of “RESNET®” or other registered trademarks by Building Science Institute, Ltd. Co. does not indicate ownership, sponsorship, or endorsement by the registered trademark owners. Any use of registered trademarks falls under informational, editorial, or comparative use.
